


Entwined

by BrighteyedJill



Category: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: F/F, Female-Centric, Gift Giving, Misses Clause Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 08:30:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2806112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrighteyedJill/pseuds/BrighteyedJill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ylsa can't decide what to get Keren for Midwinter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Entwined

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lisabounce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisabounce/gifts).



“She has everything she needs!” Ylsa frowned into her mug. The Companion’s Bell served perfectly passable ale, but now, on the third round, she was starting to question its efficacy. The alcohol did not seem to be imparting any wisdom. 

Across the table, Weaponsmaster Alberich offered the same stony-faced expression he did in the salle, but Herald-Chronicler Myste nodded sympathetically. “The perpetual Midwinter dilemma. Do you know, last year I went through the Chronicles looking for references to what other Heralds might have gotten for their Herald matches, and found nothing. Probably not deemed significant enough to record.”

“It seems fairly significant to me,” Ylsa muttered.

“I could write a pamphlet!” Myste’s eyes lit up behind her thick lenses. 

“Another pamphlet?” Alberich raised an eyebrow. 

“I think the Circle would find it of great use,” she said loftily, though her spilling some ale on the table somewhat diminished the statement’s gravitas.

“I would certainly learn it by heart,” Ylsa said.

“Something that speaks to the heart, it should be,” Alberich put it. “There is nothing she wants? Even if it is an impossible thing?”

“Well.” Ylsa thought of Keren’s brilliant smile, the way she’d come alive when Ylsa had come riding through the Palace gates, back from her latest assignment, of the eagerness with which she’d held on to Ylsa in their lovemaking. “There may be something.”  
\--

Felara soared over the last jump and flowed into a smooth canter on the other side.

“And that,” Keren said to the assembled Trainees. “Is what it’s meant to look like. More like a horse and less like a flock of squawking chickens.” Quickly, she turned around and gave Ylsa a wink. “I’m going to take this lot through practice.”

“I’ll see you at supper.” Ylsa gave Keren a mock salute, then pointed Felara away from the training course, leaving the Trainees to their lessons. “Do you want to cool down, four feet?”

:I was just getting warmed up.: Felara said wistfully. :I’ve had nothing to do for days but stand around.:

:Poor neglected baby. How about a little run, then?:

Felara’s ears twitched backwards. :To the Home Farms?: 

The pleasurable anticipation of a good run surged through Ylsa’s veins. She put her weight in the stirrups and leaned forward. :Perfect.:

Felara gathered beneath her, then leapt into a fluid run.

The crisp wind whipped Ylsa’s hair back from her face and made her eyes smart. Smells of the outdoors—wood smoke, pine, animals—rose around them and disappeared into the distance just as quickly. The snow-covered ground rose up to meet them, an unraveling road of white beneath Felara’s pounding hooves. 

Quicker than Ylsa would have thought, they crested the ridge that allowed a majestic view of the Home Farms spread out before them. Felara reluctantly slowed to a brisk walk, so that the sight of a Companion running all-out wouldn’t alarm anyone on the farms who happened to see them.

Ylsa flung her arms around Felara’s neck. “You’re the most impossible, fantastic creature in all of Valdemar. Look at you, you’re not a bit tired.”

Felara tossed her mane. :We’ve run farther than that in an afternoon, easily.:

:Yes, but not usually for fun. We should do that more often. No Companion runs like you.:

:Perhaps,: Felara demurred. Then, after a pause. :Though, if I was not as I am, perhaps we would not be away from Haven so often.:

Ylsa sensed the guilt in Felara’s mind-voice, and shook her head. :The Queen needs us to do what we do. We are what we are, lovely. I wouldn’t have it any other way.:

:Seleny would listen to your request, if you wanted to spend more time at the Collegium.:

Ylsa thought on that, as they walked a long circle around the farms. A warm bed at night instead of a Waystation, and that with Keren in it. A chance to spend time with her lifebonded that wasn’t marked by the shadow of an impending departure. But Ylsa was no natural teacher, the way Keren and Teren were. And besides, no Companion could match Felara’s endurance. Some messages might go undelivered, or not arrive in time. Ylsa could still picture the stunned look on the Ambassador from Seejay’s face when she arrived to the audience chamber, dusty and sweaty from the road, to present Seleny with the information that would bring the trade negotiations to a swift end. 

Perhaps in a few years. If there was ever a child—Ylsa could picture a miniature dark-haired whirlwind, a cherubic little girl with Keren’s sharp nose. A little girl, learning swordplay with Albrecht, or being schooled on a horse in Keren’s no-nonsense manner. Someone the two of them could work together to bring up in the world, to teach how to value life and help others, to carry their love forward into a new life.

:No.: Ylsa said at last. :Not now. Someday, maybe. Shall we head back?:

Felara turned to retrace their tracks in the snow. :We’ll have to hurry if we want to make it before supper.: She broke into a brisk trot.

:Oh hush. You won’t even break a sweat.:  
\--

That night, Ylsa took her time undressing Keren, noticing the glow of her skin in the lamplight, the curve of her belly as it led up to her breasts, the flex of her foot as she squirmed when Ylsa pleasured her. She wanted to store up the memories for the long days ahead, when she would be alone. 

After, when they lay entangled, panting and laughing in turns, Ylsa knew what to do.  
\--

Keren stood in the pre-dawn light of the courtyard, giving Dantris an unnecessary brush-down while Ylsa checked over Felara’s tack. The thin light of dawn was creeping across the cobblestones, warning of the inescapable passage of time.

At last, when there was nothing else to check or fuss with, and no further excuse to delay, Ylsa turned to find her arms suddenly full of Keren. 

“I’ll miss you,” Keren breathed into Ylsa’s hair. “I can’t breathe when you’re gone, not really. It’s like there’s a hole in my chest.”

“Wait.” Ylsa reached into her pocket and fished out the small pouch she’d picked up from the jeweler yesterday. From the pouch she drew out a silver chain, on the end of which dangled a delicate design: two straight silver arrows, crossed. She slipped the necklace over Keren’s head.

“You didn’t need to do this.” Keren fingered the chain with one hand, the other clenched tight around Ylsa’s wrist. 

“It’s Midwinter.”

“Not until next week!”

“I won’t be here.”

“I thought we were waiting! I got you—No, let me get it.” Keren pulled away, as if to run back into the Collegium. 

Ylsa caught her arm. “Give it to me when I get back. Here, let me show you something.” Ylsa stepped in close and lifted up the necklace. The two small, silver arrows cleverly fastened together to create a single piece. When Ylsa pushed a clasp at the back, one of the arrows detached.

“I’ll wear mine as a pin when I’m out on the road.” Ylsa pinned the arrow to the inside of her lapel, where it wouldn’t be visible. “I’ll keep it closer to my heart. When I come back, we can put it back together again, good as new. Like I never left.”

“Good as new.” Keren tucked the arrow necklace into her uniform tunic, and smoothed her hand over the lapel that hid Ylsa’s pin. “This is perfect.” She darted in for a quick kiss, then turned and swung up onto Dantris. They both knew from experience that unless one of them moved, their goodbyes could go on indefinitely.

Ylsa put her foot in the stirrup and climbed onto Felara’s broad back, giving one last wave as Felara carried them out of the courtyard. As they trotted onto the road out of Haven, Ylsa put her hand over her heart, and felt Keren with her.


End file.
